Poland is awash with reminders of its complicated history. Krakow, the country’s main cultural centre, has wonderful architecture and
an abundance of museums, galleries and historical sights, including the Wawel -
an impressive castle and cathedral complex from which Poland
was once governed. Kazimierz, the city’s
old Jewish quarter, is now a thriving centre of bohemian bar culture, but its
streets also serve as a poignant reminder of a community destroyed by the Nazis. Another huge part of Polish culture is Roman
Catholicism, one of the few stable features in a national identity shaken by
political upheaval. Visit the shrine of
the Black Madonna at Częstochowa to see the country’s most
important religious symbol.
The Polish countryside has nine national
parks, ranging from the popular lake-land district of Mazury to the stunning,
snow-capped Tatra mountains – one of the best hiking destinations in the whole country. Polish hospitality is legendary, so be
friendly and unafraid to try out the language.
The spectre of Nazi occupation is impossible to avoid when considering
Polish history, and a visit to the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps,
just west of Krakow, should be an important part of most visits to the region. It will give you a sobering reminder of the
difficulties the Polish people have faced – both Jewish and Catholic – and a
part of Poland’s complicated history that should never be overlooked.
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'The historic centre of Cracow, the former capital of Poland, is situated at the foot of the Royal Wawel Castle. The 13th-century merchants' town has Europe's largest market square and numerous historical houses, palaces and churches with their...
Go for: Historic Cities &Towns, Churches & Abbeys, Castles & Palaces, Industrial, Christmas Markets
5 experiences:
Cracow, Krakow Christmas Market, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Wawel Cathedral, Wawel Castle.
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Declared a fortress by a frightened German command during the final throes of World War II, some of Wroclaw’s ancient and graceful buildings were razed to build an airport and a barrier wall. The population was first decimated by ethnic cleansing...
Go for: Miscellaneous, Historic Cities &Towns, Monuments & Landmarks, Contemporary Architecture
3 experiences:
Wroclaw, Centennial Hall (Hala Ludow), Centennial Hall in Wroclaw.
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Torun owes its origins to the Teutonic Order, which built a castle there in the mid-13th century as a base for the conquest and evangelization of Prussia. It soon developed a commercial role as part of the Hanseatic League. In the Old and New Town,...
Go for: Medieval Towns
1 experiences:
Medieval Town of Toruń.
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'Zamosc was founded in the 16th century by the chancellor Jan Zamoysky on the trade route linking western and northern Europe with the Black Sea. Modelled on Italian theories of the 'ideal city' and built by the architect Bernando Morando, a native...
Go for: Historic Cities &Towns
1 experiences:
Zamość.
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The Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica, the largest timber-framed religious buildings in Europe, were built in the former Silesia in the mid-17th century, amid the religious strife that followed the Peace of Westphalia. Constrained by the...
Go for: Churches & Abbeys
1 experiences:
Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica.
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The city of Czestochowa (pronounced ‘Chen-sto-ho-vah’) and its Marian shrine of Jasna Gora are the spiritual heart of Poland and the country’s national shrine. The event which decisively influenced the history of Czestochowa was the establishment of...
Go for: Sacred Places
1 experiences:
Marian Sanctuary of Jasna Gora.
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Tallest crop in the Carpathian range, the Tatras mark the Polish - Slovakian border. Alpine characteristics such as high altitude meadows, steep...
Go for: Mountains
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This wide plateau is also known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Lakes’, but there are really around 4000, linked by rivers, canals and locks in an...
Go for: Lakes
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More commonly referred to in English as 'Auschwitz', the Polish city of Oswiecim is recorded as existing as far back as 1117. Its history is closely...
Go for: Paranormal
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More commonly referred to in English as 'Auschwitz', the Polish city of Oswiecim is recorded as existing as far back as 1117. Its history is closely...
Go for: Tombs & Memorials
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Kraków
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